Network Warfare in a World of Decentralized Hacktivist Initiatives at the Beginning of the 21st Century
Network Warfare in a World of Decentralized Hacktivist Initiatives at the Beginning of the 21st Century

Summary/Abstract: This article attempts to capture the dynamics of network warfare in the context of decentralized hacktivist initiatives. For that reason, we adopt a case study methodology as it aligns with the need for detailed, contextual, and theoretically informed analyses of hacktivist activities. The article pursues two objectives. The first is to discuss the operational methods used by key actors in cyberwarfare (case study). Two different tactical approaches form the basis for this discussion: the exploitation of information leaks (the case of WikiLeaks), and the pulsing attacks on targets, commonly referred to as swarming (the case of Anonymous and Sandworm). The second objective is to propose effective ways to reduce the risks posed by decentralized hacktivist activities. From the perspective of the latter objective, we present a strategy of “motivation management” aimed at using propaganda efforts to influence specific ideologically motivated attitudes and to mobilize grassroots action at the network level. In our opinion, this strategy, especially if it is based on an adequate mapping of the threat, can be used to combat it effectively.

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